13yrs after, Police arrest suspect who killed six corps members during 2011 post-election crisis
By Rauf Oyewole, Bauchi
The Bauchi State Police Command said its operatives have arrested suspected masterminders of the 2011 presidential election crisis where six serving members of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), police officers and property were lost.
13 years after the crime, the Commissioner of Police Bauchi Command, Auwal Muhammad said that his men could not arrest any of the suspects since the incident occurred due to mob action that broke out in the area.
Recall the post-election violence that broke out shortly after announcing the victory of the then President Goodluck Jonathan in Giade local government area of Bauchi State where a divisional police headquarters was set ablaze, resulting in the killing of six corps members who took cover under police.
While parading the suspect on Thursday, Auwal said that: “On 18th April 2011 between the hours of 12:30pm and 1pm, a group of youth led by one Kabiru Musa known as Dawa, stormed Giade Divisional Police Headquarters following the announcement of the 2011 presidential election result armed themselves with dangerous weapons which included a knife popularly called Barandami, cutlasses, sticks, petrol and attacked F/No. 020827 W/PC Rifkatu Bappa who was on counter duty at the charge room.
“As a result, she sustained various degrees of injuries and was immediately evacuated to FMC Azare and was confirmed dead by a medical doctor. Similarly, the said Dawa who was the ringleader and his gang members used petrol and set ablaze a motor vehicle, one Toyota Starlet belonging to Mr. Peter Okoye which was kept for safekeeping during the peak of the attack.
“In furtherance of this dastardly act, the said Dawa attacked one Bridget Peter Okeye wife of Mr. Peter Okoye cut-off her fingers, set fire on the said motor vehicle, burned down the station which led to the gruesome murder of six corps members who were at the station for safety,” he said.
According to the CP, the deceased corps members were; Nkwazema Anslem (Imo State), Adewumi Seun Paul (Ekiti State), Okpokiri Obinna (Abia), Teidi Olawale Tosin (Kogi State), Adewei Elliot (Bayelsa State) and Ukeoma Ikechukwu Chibuzor (Imo State).
He said that the deceased corps members tried to take to their heels while the said suspected killer (Dawa) alongside his syndicate ran in pursuit of the corps members to their various locations of refuge and gruesomely murdered them one after the other.
The syndicate, according to Police, also attacked and broke into shops of traders and carted away valuables, further causing a breakdown of law and order.
“After a manhunt for a decade, the suspect has been arrested and investigation is ongoing, after the conclusion, he will be arraigned in court based on the findings of the investigation.
“It may interest you to also know that the same suspect (Dawa) in a related development has been arraigned before the court for a case of criminal conspiracy and culpable homicide. The incident occurred on the 26th of April, 2024 at about 10:30pm when some water vendors inhabitants of Unguwar Tudun Maje Giade town discovered the decomposed body of an adult girl in a well situated in the same address.”
He said following the discovery of the decomposed body, they reported at the Divisional Police Headquarters Giade, where the DPO drafted his men, visited the scene and removed the remains to General Hospital Giade and she was certified dead by a medical doctor.
He said that the DPO invited the residents to come forward for identification and she was identified as Aisha Mohammad ‘f’ aged 17yrs of Giade LGA, Bauchi State.
During investigation, two people were accused and arrested in connection to the crime namely; Kabiru Musa 30yrs aka “Dawa”, Anas Adamu 31yrs all of Giade LGA, Bauchi State.
He said during interrogation, the first defendant denied the allegation against him while the second accused freely confessed to the crime and confirmed that they killed the said (Aisha) deceased and dumped her body into the well together with the said Dawa who happens to be his boss.
